Occidental Seeks Its 13th President

November 3, 2005

Occidental College is conducting a national search for a chief executive officer to succeed President Ted Mitchell, who left the College on August 31 to head the San Francisco-based NewSchools Venture Fund.

During Mitchell’s six years as president, applications to Occidental set a new record each year, even as the College maintained its status as one of the country’s most diverse nationally ranked liberal arts colleges. Routinely drawing top ratings from national college guides, Occidental twice has been named one of the country’s hottest colleges by Newsweek and was identified by the Wall Street Journal as one of a handful of “colleges for a new era.” Gifts to Occidental set a new record in 2004-05, rising to $20.9 million, more than double the total raised six years ago. The College welcomed 14 new tenure-track faculty this fall, and has another seven searches underway.

The goal of the search committee is to present an unranked slate of finalists to the Occidental College Board of Trustees by the first week of March 2006. The committee wishes to consider candidates from the broadest possible range of geographic and professional backgrounds. A job description is now available; the review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.

Nominations, inquiries and expressions of interest should be forwarded, in confidence, to: